FEM Analysis for Sealing Performance of Hydraulic Brake Hose Crimped Portion and Its Life Estimation

Abstract

Usually, development of automobile brake hose and power steering hose has been realized through investigating several actual prototype hoses experimentally. Recently, high durability for brake hose has been required because periodic renewing the brake hoses has not been requested anymore. In this study, FEM stress analysis has been applied to the crimped portion of hydraulic brake hose in order to promote the development of the automobile hoses more efficiently. It is found that large normal stresses σ_n, which may be helpful for the sealing performance, appear at the crimped portion between the nipple and inner rubber. The results suggest that several grooves putting at the surface of nipple are effective for causing large σ_n, which may improve the sealing performance and hose life. The effect of compression set of the rubber on the sealing performance is investigated, and the life of hydraulic brake hose is estimated form the maximum stress appearing near the groove on the nipple.